Boxing: STURM SCORES DECISIVE VICTORY OVER FRAZIER, WANTS WINNER OF HOPKINS-DE LA HOYA

Former WBO middleweight champion Felix Sturm maintained his reputation as one of the top-3 fighters in his weight class with a unanimous decision victory over American Robert Frazier. It was an important night for the 25 year old German because beside winning the WBO intercontinental title he maintained his position as most credible challenger to the winner of the Bernard Hopkins-Oscar de la Hoya mega fight which will take place in a few hours in Las Vegas.

In front of a sell out crowd of 3.500 in his hometown Leverkusen the intelligent and handsome Sturm redisplayed the skills and the speed that enabled him to outbox The Golden Boy on most occasions on June 5. Against the very determined opposition of Robert Frazier Sturm scored with the more solid shots throughout the fight and hurt his opponent several times deeply in the two final rounds.

After twelve rounds the three judges Andre van Grotenbruel (Belgium), Robin Dolpierre (France) and Reynaldo Cadero (Italy) scored the contest 116-112, 119-109 and 117-111 in favor of Sturm.

Felix Sturm, now 21-1 with 9 knockouts, is mandatory challenger of the World Boxing Organization. The mega fight in Las Vegas between Hopkins and de la Hoya will be for the unified WBO, WBA, IBF and WBC titles at 160 lb.